Paul Joseph Cuellar, an assistant head custodian at Captain Gabriel Navarrete Middle School, remains jailed after El Paso police accused him of stabbing a man during an early Sunday domestic dispute. The victim suffered multiple stab wounds to the back and a ruptured lung and was reported in critical but stable condition, according to KFOX14/CBS4.
The incident was reported at about 12:30 a.m. Sept. 13 in the 400 block of Gladys Avenue, near Riverside High School, the station reported. Cuellar was booked into the El Paso County Downtown Jail on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and assault causing bodily injury to a family member. His bond was set at $252,500.
What investigators allege
According to the arrest-account details reported by KFOX14/CBS4, Cuellar's girlfriend told police that an argument about suspected infidelity escalated before a man she contacted for help arrived. Investigators said the victim identified Cuellar as the person who stabbed him. Surveillance video reviewed by detectives showed people struggling outside a home, while footage from a nearby gas station showed the victim receiving aid for his wounds.
Cuellar gave investigators a different account, saying the victim fell onto a knife during a struggle and that two men had assaulted him. He denied striking his girlfriend. Those competing accounts are allegations and claims described in investigative documents; they have not been resolved in court.
What remains unclear
The available reporting does not establish whether Cuellar has entered a plea, whether prosecutors will pursue additional charges, or whether El Paso Independent School District has taken employment action. An arrest is not a finding of guilt. The case also does not establish that the alleged off-campus conduct involved students, school operations or any danger at Navarrete Middle School.
Navarrete Middle School opened in August 2022 on Fort Bliss property near the former William Beaumont Army Medical Center as part of EPISD's bond program, according to the district. That institutional detail identifies Cuellar's workplace but does not provide evidence of a connection between the school and the alleged crime.
Support for people affected by domestic violence
People affected by the incident or seeking help with a related safety concern can consult the El Paso County Victim Assistance Program, which lists a District Attorney Victim Assistance phone number, 915-273-3553, along with protective-order and domestic-violence resources.
No verified local or statewide trend data was established for this report, so this case should not be presented as evidence that violent incidents involving school employees or domestic disputes are increasing. Further court, police and district records would be needed to clarify the case's next procedural and employment developments.
